Brief:
A futuristic sci-fi model reminiscent o' t' old Estes Andromeda or Alien Explorer. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! T' front page o' t' instructions says: "A Lean, arrr, mean eater of human spleens, me bucko, this strange invader will frighten t' masses at your next launch". Aye aye! You gotta love that! Uses parachute recovery from 18mm engines.

Construction:
T' first thin' you notice is ping-pong balls. Avast! Yes, ping-pong balls! These are used for t' "bulges". Aye aye! T' fin material is two sheets o' wood and you have t' cut them yourself, arrr, so that increases t' skill level. Ahoy! T' great news is that they are basswood, but then that makes for more difficult cutting. Nothing but t' best materials are in this kit. You also get two nosecones, two 18" BT's, matey, a "side pod" engine mount and a recovery system. Arrr!

Each step in t' instructions tells you t' trace and cut a fin. I opted to cut out all t' fins and sand them before gettin' started. Ahoy! Blimey! This makes for a smoother and quicker build once you get going. Arrr! I also cut t' ping-pong balls at this point too. They are much easier t' cut then I expected tem t' be. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! (The air in them STINKS!) I just used an X-ACTO knife with a fresh blade and it went smooth and easy. Orientate t' ball so you're nay cuttin' through t' seam. You'll get a better cut.

T' motor mount goes together first. It's a classic design but thar be no motor hook t' install. Begad! Arrr! There are nine fins on this rocket so take your time buildin' it. T' instructions tell you t' glue the two18" body tubes together before you start on t' fins. I chose nay to until t' last Ping-Pong ball be ready t' go on. Aye aye! An 18" tube is much easier t' handle while gluin' on all those fins than a 36" tube. That's just me opinion. Ya scallywag!

T' recovery system is attached via t' classic folded paper thing. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! Some people don't like this but it works for me. Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! T' list o' materials says you get only one piece o' Keelhaul®©™® strin' and one swivel hook. Begad! Aye aye! I got two hooks and two pieces o' different length string. It doesn't even mention elastic cord but I got some o' that too. Ahoy! The parachute step in t' instructions does show two pieces o' strin' though. I just used all t' materials and came up with me own recovery system. T' launch lug must be spaced up one o' t' fins. You get a spacer for that. I chose to use a launch rod for alignment. This ensures it far enough away from t' body tube t' clear t' ping-pong balls AND is properly aligned. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket only gets one lug, me bucko, so make good strong fillets. Blimey! ( I got two lugs in me kit. Was I supposed to? Where does t' second one go? )

Finishing:
Pros -- Basswood fin material: lightweight, strong and much easier t' finish than balsa. Begad! T' fin design and ping-pong balls make this a very interestin' and creative rocket. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Nice lightweight nylon parachute; no plastic parachute here. Gorgeous instruction sheets: t' illustrations are computer generated and there are many o' them. Arrr!

Cons -- No motor hook. Was I supposed t' get one? All t' illustrations show one but its nay mentioned in t' text or t' list o' materials. It will have to be a friction fit motor. No fin markin' guide or decals. Begad! A fin-markin' guide would have been useful with t' 9 fins you have t' glue. Decals would have raised t' price o' t' kit but I would be willin' t' pay extra for them. The paint scheme suggested is great but virtually imposable t' do. Begad! T' list of materials, me bucko, t' instructions, ya bilge rat, and what you actually get in t' kit, doesn't match each other. This can be confusin' but easily worked through. Avast!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
Nice flights on B6's & C6's. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! T' lack o' manufacturer recommended engines made me have t' think about delay times and motor selection. Ahoy! Aye aye! Use a delay slightly shorter than you would expect for a rocket o' this weight because the extra drag slows it down a little.

Recovery:
Laundry deployed every time. Well, blow me down!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Pro -- This is an awesome rocket. Aye aye! T' design is like nothin' I ever built and that's refreshing. Ahoy! Con -- T' list o' materials, t' instructions, me bucko, and what you get don't match. Blimey!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5